Life in the shadow of a disability
By far the hardest part of living with a disability, in my experience, is accepting the reality that people know nothing about me except for the fact that I have a disability. Even on my good days, it can feel as if I am going through life with a large shadow two steps behind me everywhere I go. Whether it's the government subjecting me to invasive and unnecessary evaluations to prove my disability or the blatant inaccessibility of certain parts of my community, the shadow that is my disability seemingly never leaves my side. Don't misunderstand me, I live a wonderful and productive life despite the hurdles life has thrown my way! I feel incredibly fortunate to have the support system of friends and family that has helped me achieve the best outcome for my situation. Nevertheless, I still get frustrated by society's tendency to compartmentalize me into a one-dimensional box that only focuses on my disability and, by its nature, disregards all the things that make me a comp...